Happy 4th of July, Friends!

Fireworks, B-B-Qs, roasting marshmallows, eating pie, spending time with family, balloons, and various glow-in-the-dark accessories are all important essentials for having a great 4th of July party.

Fireworks, whether you love them or not, are a way of celebrating the day of July 4th, 1776 when congress signed the Declaration of Independence. I love watching the elaborate shows that go on in my area. Around here (as well as practically everywhere else) there are firework stands around almost every corner. I wonder if people can make tons of money selling fireworks? Anyone have an answer to that?

Barbeques and outdoor cook-outs are also a great way to celebrate the 4th. I mean, who doesn’t love a hotdog or hamburger with home-sliced potatoes on the grill? What about steak or kabobs? Or how about some s’mores over the fire pit while watching kids make designs with sparklers and the artillery shells going off in the air? Sounds great to me. For dessert, bomb pops are really patriotic. Home baked warm apple pie that wafts the scent of cinnamon and butter is my favorite. Cookies, brownies, fruit pizza in the shape of the flag are just some of the possibilities to wrap up your Independence Day meal. If you want some recipes, check out the links at the bottom of the page.

Accessories. With them, you will never have a dull party. Want to brighten up your night? Try glow sticks! Plus, they’re safe for the little kids. They won’t blow up and hurt them, and they are almost the equivalent of sparklers and they last longer. Hanging an American Flag is essential. I mean, if you are an American, you probably have an American flag somewhere in your house. Having balloons is fun too.

For my party, we’re going to have some nice home-cooked food. We’re having cookies (the brand rhymes with cun betty) and brownies and fruit pizza. We bought some balloons, glow sticks, and bubbles. My family is really fun, so they are buying a lot of fireworks. Plus there is always a huge show a couple blocks from my aunt’s house. (which we always go to) H ere’s a story from one year when we were at the show: The field in front of the show was pretty packed. My uncle asked the firefighters on-scene if we could sit in front of the crowd. The firefighter was hesitant but said yes. So we all put our lawn chairs in a row, and I sat next to my cousin, Nathan. It was a little chilly outside, so we were wearing jackets. So then, the show gets going. We ooh and aah over the beautiful spectacle, and while doing so, we realize that sparks were not extinguishing as fast as they should be. Here we are, sitting practically underneath the explosions, when suddenly my cousin screams out, “I’M ON FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!” He then brushes off his jacket while I’m practically crying and says, “Just kidding!” Then I hug him and tell him to never do that again, and we continue to watch the fireworks, after we scoot our chairs back about 50 feet.

So there you have it, my version of what the 4th of July should look like.

If you want to check out some good recipes, check out the links below: